This disclosure relates to a media sheet transport apparatus. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a bidirectional print media sheet transport for use in a printing system.
Conventionally, printing systems include media sheet transports which route media sheets such as cut sheet paper from a sheet feeder to one or more marking engines for marking the media sheets with text and/or an image. Subsequent to the image marking engine marking the media sheet, the marked media sheet is routed through a fuser for further fixing of the toner to the media sheet. From the fuser, the marked media sheet may be routed to one or more other marking engines or routed to a finisher module which further processes the marked media sheet and possibly stacks the finished sheets.
To accommodate transportation of media sheets from the sheet feeder to one or more marking engines or other printing apparatuses, a media sheet transportation system is integrated within the printing system. Conventionally this media sheet transportation system includes a series of integrated nip assemblies. The nip assemblies include a top roller and bottom roller, where the media sheet passes between the rollers and one of the rollers is driven by a motor in a single direction. Notably, conventional printing systems include a unidirectional highway configuration to transport media sheets. To accomplish bidirectional media sheet travel within the printing system, multiple media sheet highways are integrated where a first series of nip assemblies provides media sheet travel in a first direction and a second series of nip assemblies provides media sheet travel in a second direction.
This disclosure provides a bidirectional media sheet transport which includes bidirectional nip assemblies to transport a media sheet in two opposite directions.